1
as in infectious
capable of being passed by physical contact from one person to another
a cold is often catching before the symptoms even begin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spreading
exciting a similar feeling or reaction in others
a catching smile that instantly puts patients at ease
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in grabbing
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
we tried to catch the kitten before she could sneak out the door
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in getting
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
you'll catch the flu for sure if you don't get a shot
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stopping
to bring (something) to a standstill
I caught myself just as I was about to step into the freshly poured concrete
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in securing
to put securely in place or in a desired position
caught back her hair with a barrette
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in knowing
to have a clear idea of
I didn't catch the point you were making about our nation's foreign policy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in tricking
to cause to believe what is untrue
a number of media outlets were caught by the woman's hard-luck story
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in encountering
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
I'll catch you at the library tomorrow
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in noticing
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
I looked out the window just in time to catch the neighbor's dog digging up my flower bed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in chasing
to move fast enough to get even with
despite the suspect's considerable lead, the fleet-footed police officer was able to catch him and make an arrest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of catching
Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
The team also caught a break as far as their catching depth with veteran Eric Haase clearing waivers and starting for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats on Wednesday.
—Shayna Rubin, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Apr. 2026
Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 7 June 2026
Escarra then took over catching duties.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for catching
Adjective
In the snaps, Hemsworth can be seen catching waves alongside his twin sons, Sasha and Tristan, 12, as well as cliff jumping and spending time with some friends by the water.
—Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
The team also caught a break as far as their catching depth with veteran Eric Haase clearing waivers and starting for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats on Wednesday.
—Shayna Rubin, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
My dream was always that people are literally catching their breath from laughing.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 7 June 2026
Escarra then took over catching duties.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for catching
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catching
Adjective
-
The energy is often infectious.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
-
Her kindness, generosity, and infectious spirit touched every single one of us.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
The best know how to play through grabbing or shoving of various degrees.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
Wembanyama finished Game 6 with 28 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.—
Devon Henderson,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Both Landman and The Madison have been renewed for new seasons, with Landman heading into its third and The Madison getting a second, but the Landman stars could not divulge any details about what to anticipate in season 3.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
-
But getting the shoes, walking around in my spare time in New York in heels, which Carolyn does in the show and Sarah Pidgeon does not.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Bussi got the nod after stopping 18 of 19 shots in relief of Andersen in Game 3 in the third period and two overtimes.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
Afterward, locals recommend stopping at Lake Hollywood Park for fresh fruit topped with Tajín and chamoy.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The Spurs still had plenty of time to get a shot up, but Stephon Castle wasn’t able to hoist it on the inbound pass, securing the historic victory for New York, who are now just a game away from their first title since 1973.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
-
Supporters declare victory as late ballots push a half-cent healthcare sales tax ahead with just over 50% support countywide, securing simple-majority passage after trailing in early election-night returns.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Here was a man who answered the bell for nearly six years knowing that the audience had virtually disappeared because of a dispute with Comcast.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
-
That real trust can be rare, from knowing other young lads (at Liverpool) and their experiences on loan.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Such techniques typically work by tricking the user into approving a request to approve a device owned by the attacker instead.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2026
-
While Matthew and Mu-won started Gojeuneok Bio together, Chang-ho has launched a cosmetics company that makes its money by tricking smaller companies into giving away the secrets behind their products.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Others are encountering problems as well.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
John Early, as anyone encountering his work soon apprehends, chooses the latter.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Catching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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